EU imposes human rights sanctions on Iran and warns against Ukraine

Oct 17 (Reuters) – The European Union prepared to impose sanctions on Iran on Monday over a human rights crackdown and several ministers warned of separate new sanctions if Tehran’s involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine was proven.

EU ministers are set to impose travel bans and freeze the assets of about 15 Iranians involved in the government crackdown that began last month on protesters outraged by the deaths in custody view of Mahsa Amini, 22.

“We will launch today … a sanctions package that will hold accountable those responsible for brutal crimes against women, young people and men,” German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told reporters at her meeting. arrival at the meeting in Luxembourg.

“Among those listed are the so-called vice police – vice police being a misnomer, in fact, if you see what crimes are being committed there.”

Additional EU sanctions against Iran will not be limited to blacklisting certain people if Tehran’s involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine is proven, Luxembourg’s business minister says foreigners Jean Asselborn.

“Then it will no longer be about sanctioning certain individuals,” he told reporters upon arriving for the EU meeting.

Ukraine has reported a series of Russian attacks with Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones in recent weeks. Iran denies supplying the drones to Russia, while the Kremlin has not commented.

“What we can see now: Iranian drones are apparently being used to attack in the middle of Kyiv, it’s an atrocity,” Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said, saying the EU must also take ” concrete measures” in response to this. as Tehran cracked down on protesters at home. Read more

France and Germany, both parties to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, have made it clear that they believe new sanctions on drones used by Russia are necessary given that such transfers breach a resolution of the UN Security Council.

The EU could decide to move towards imposing new sanctions on Iran over the matter, according to two diplomats involved in preparing for talks between ministers, although no detailed decision was expected on Monday. Read more

“We will look for concrete evidence of (Iran’s) participation in the war in Ukraine,” Josep Borrell told reporters upon arriving for the meeting, adding that Ukrainian Dmytro Kuleba would attend the rally.

Reporting by Sabine Siebold, Marine Strauss, Gabriela Baczynska, Writing by Ingrid Melander, Editing by William Maclean

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